The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-02-05
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
AN IMPORTED FLORA.

AN IMPORTED FLORA.
DIR. R. A. Philippi has published in Germany
an important and interesting paper detailing the
changes wrought by man in tho fora of Chill,
where the native vegetation has been supplanted
BY that of Europe to an astonishing extent. The
trees and plants of Europe, and ouly these with
the exception Of the native potato) every
where near habitations; and the original native
fora has to be sought with care and system, and
Is found only miles away from cultivation and the
abodes of men. In fact, the native vegetation is
DESTROYED by that of Europe as effectuay as the
native inhabitant himself disappears before the
white man.
The interesting experiment of flying kite of
suficient sizesto carry man was not long ago
made by M. Maillot, and has been described to
tba French Society of Aerial Navigation. The
kite was of octagonal shape, with superficial
area of IS square yards, frame weighing 100
pounds, and canvas and cords Weighing ~ Pounas.
10 ]. HEIGHT of 80 feet. The cord by which it was
held hack was 500 feet long, and was securely
fostaned To the earth. The kite was kept at the
nroper iucination-varying with the force of the
windy means of cords fastened to four sides
and maneuyered by three operators standing on
the ground. 1t was originally planned to have
these cords manipulated by man suspended
from the kite in place of the ballast, but this
dangerous part of the experiment was not carried
out.
ELECTRICITY AND THE INExPL1cABLE,
Of the common notion that electricity plays an
important part in the production OF earthquakes,
Drof. Joseph LIE Conte "well says: never heard
read the slightest scientific proof of this theory
Electricity has taken hold OF the popular imagl
nation. so that any inexpicable thing is explained
nv electricity For example, vital force, nerve
force, etc., are inexplicable,. so many lay it to
electrical force So also with earthquakes-elec-
tricity is made the scapegoat."
THE CAMERA IN MEDICINE.
It is now suggested that photography may be-
come a useful agent in medical diagnosis, discios-
inc SYMPTOMS Of disease before they are otherwise
perceptible. In a recent negative OF cniid the
face was shown as thickly covered with an erup-
ton no trace of which could be seen on the child
nntiI three DAVIS afterward, when its skin become
covered with spots due to prickly heat. In an
other recorded case, invisible spots were brought
out on q photograph taken fortnight oeiore al
attack of smallpox.
FALLIBLE RECORDS.
Probably few persons realize how unreliable are
the unprofessional thermometric reports wnien
are autographed in winter over the country aiter
each cold wave, so untrustworthy are even the
best of spirit thermometers in unskllled hands.
mometer which is quoted as having recorded fifty
eight degrees below zeror in Manitoba is from
thirteen to fifteen degrees in erro. An ,lnstru-
ment for the accurate measurement OF low tenn
peratures is needed as much as reliable pyrome-
ter for testing the temperature OF molten metals.
MISCELLANEOUS.
An English inventor claims to save one third
of the time and ten per cent. Of loss in the cooking
of Joints of meat, by thrusting into them metallic
conductors to ensure their simultaneous heating
throughout, these conductors being copper blades
with globular heads of iron. Flesh is very bad
conductor of heat, and without this device the
outside of the meat is greatly over cooked, with
much waste of nutritious juices before the inside
is well done.
~ The diminished cost of production in metal
work was illustrated recently by DR.. John Percy,
in an address to the British Iron and Steel lnsti-
tute, by the statement that gross of steel pens,
formerly costing $35, might now be produced for
eight cents. The cost of making gold chains mas
been reduced to an eighth of what it was.
German astronomer has found reasons Tor
believing that the zodiacal light and the aurora
boreals result from the reflection of sunlight by
water and ice.
The sale of nickel-plated vessels for cooking
has been prohibited fin Lower Austria, on the
ground that acid substances often dissolve enough
of the nickel to produce poisonous effects
The teeth of bakers decay so rapidly and pecu-
Iary that DIR. Hesse, of Leipsic, declares himself
often able to tell the occupation of patients by the
condition of the teeth. He supposes the carries to
arise from the action of an acid formed by the
fermentation of inhaled four-dust
The Importance of microbes to the growth OF
plants has been practically demonstrated by M.
Laurent, who obtained only one fourth as much
buekwheat from sterilized mould as in soil con-
tanning bacteria.
Hydrophobia is unknown in Lapland, but Pas
teur has just shown that the dogs may be inocula-
ted with the disease.
Neapolitan physician has described case of
hysteria, prolonged and aggravated, in which the
nails, of the fingers and toes were spontaneously
shed. This was preceded by tingling, especially
in the thumbs and great toes, followed by sup
1e~sfion- N the bed of the nails The curious af-
feszn of the nails is supposed to have been re-
suit of disordered nerve function.
The experiments of Dr. Brown-Sequard have
convinced him that the rgidity retained by corpses
for several days is due to true muscular con-
traction, indicating that the muscles do not giveup
their vitality until after the body has been other
wise lifeless for a considerable time.
What is said to be a fact not generally known
is that bees collect from only one description of
tree or plant at the time.